Water
- Store 1 gallon per person per day — 3 gallons each minimum — guide
- Know your hidden water: water heater and toilet tank (not bowl) — guide
- Unscented 6% bleach + dropper for disinfection — guide
- Water filter or cloth + buckets to clear cloudy water — guide
- Extra water for pets and medical needs
- Clean lidded containers for collecting rainwater — guide
Food
- 3 days of no-cook food per person — guide
- Manual can opener
- Eat fridge food first, then freezer, then pantry — guide
- Infant formula / special-diet foods if needed — guide
- Outdoor-only cooking method and fuel — guide
- Pet food for 3 days
Power & Light
- Flashlight or headlamp for each person
- Spare batteries, checked and in date
- Phone power bank, fully charged
- Battery-powered CO and smoke alarms — no combustion indoors — guide
- Plan for one warm (or cool) room — guide
- Small solar charger if you can — guide
Communication
- Battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio — guide
- Written list of key phone numbers
- Out-of-area contact everyone checks in with — guide
- Family meeting place agreed and written down
- Whistle for each person
- Know your neighbors who may need help — guide
First Aid
- Stocked first-aid kit — guide
- 7-day supply of prescriptions — guide
- Plan for medicines that need cold or power — guide
- Oral rehydration salts or the recipe — guide
- Hand sanitizer, soap and wipes — guide
- Glasses, hearing-aid batteries, mobility aids
Security
- Doors and windows lockable without power — guide
- Know how to shut off gas, water and power
- Fire extinguisher, checked
- Keep a low profile — lights and generators draw attention
- Decide in advance: shelter or evacuate — guide
- Sturdy shoes and work gloves by each bed
Documents
- Copies of IDs, insurance and deeds in a waterproof bag — guide
- Small bills and coins — cards may not work — guide
- Medical info and medication list for each person
- Paper map of your area with routes marked
- Emergency contacts written on paper
- Encrypted digital backup of key documents — guide
This is for educational purposes only. Never run generators, grills or camp stoves indoors.